Year of the Fox: Prologue
by Ardock
Summary: The beginning of my epic tale of betrayal, love, and ultimate good. When the Starfox team investigates a dark planet that blots out the night sky, they start a chain of events that will place the Lylat system in ultimate peril.
1. Year of the Fox: Prologue

Welcome to anyone who is gracious enough to give this story notice. This is the prologue to my Year of the Fox saga, an epic tale of betrayal, love, and vengeance. R&R is more than welcome, and I hope you enjoy reading my story as much as I enjoyed creating it. Thank you.

**Star Fox: Year of the Fox**

Prologue: Loss

The stars had never shone brighter than that night. Like spirits of warriors undying, they forever stood vigil against the darkness in which they dwelt, twinkling in the eyes of the beholder as if to say, "Glory lies here. Come seek it." However, as the stars lit the depths of space, an ominous circular shadow blotted out a portion of them, smothering their luminescence. The shadow seemed to be solid, as asteroids would hit its surface and break apart, unable to divert it from its path.

Perhaps the stars shone so brightly for the large ship navigating the asteroids in order to intercept the shadowy planet. The ship resembled an overweight goose, with wide wings shaped like an "X", and the neck and head of the ship reaching outwards above the docking bay door and forward laser cannons. Emblazoned across the side of the ship was the name that thousands of people in the Lylat System recognized and revered: Starfox, the team of mercenaries that had defeated the maniacal mastermind Andross and brought peace to the galaxy many times over.

As the ship approached the dark orb, the docking bay opened and a small flying ship shaped like a sharpened "Y" blasted out into space, its heading the foreboding shadow that was coming so close to the ship. The pilot of the Y-shaped ship was Fox McCloud, hero of the people and leader of Starfox. In his lap was a blue-furred vixen named Krystal, a telepath and the newest member of the team.

"Be careful, Fox. We don't know what kind of defenses that thing can put up!" An aged voice blared via the communication computer.

"Don't worry, Peppy. With Slippy's improvements to the plating and shields, we could fly through a laser storm!" Fox replied with confidence.

Aboard the bridge of the large ship, Peppy, Slippy and Falco all gathered around a single monitor, which was the only thing casting light throughout the room.

"I still don't see why we had to stay on the Great Fox." Slippy replied, kicking his short, toady legs as he sat watching the screen.

Falco smoothed back his head feathers. "He probably didn't want to save your hide...again."

Slippy was about to snap back, but an incoming message from Fox cut the squabbling short.

"We're entering the atmosphere of the planet now. Man...it's pitch black! Switching to night vision.

As Fox pressed a few keys on a small aquamarine panel, the window of the cockpit turned a bright green. Through the green window, Fox and Krystal could make out ancient ruins and temples, as far as the eye could see.

"So many buildings...the planet's population must have been billions!" Krystal observed.

The others aboard the Great Fox also saw the image.

"Judging by the buildings, there must've been a technologically advanced civilization here." Fox spoke over the intercom. "I'm going in to investigate more."

Fox accelerated down towards the planet, leveling off near ground level and blazing through the city. He then slowed the ship down, scanning the building for life-signs. During his scan, he flew under a group of columns. Suddenly, With a great rumbling noise, one of the columns began to fall.

"Fox, look out!" Krystal cried.

Instinctively, Fox accelerated all the way forward, barely escaping the impending doom of being crushed as the column crashed and crumbled. However, the falling pillar had caused a domino-effect, shaking the foundations of the other columns in line. Surprisingly, Fox didn't flinch. He simply grinned and gripped the control stick tightly. Deftly, he flew under the first pillar, then arced over the second. The third was trickier, but Fox managed to squeeze the ship in sideways. The rest of the pillars began to fall in front of the ship, drawing ever nearer. Fox waited. Four rows away. He still waited. Two rows away. He waited still. He was under the last of the pillars. Pulling back as hard as he could on the stick, Fox flipped the ship around and over the last two pillars as they fell to the earth and fragmented.

"Fox! Fox, are you okay?"

Fox gave a quick nonchalant laugh as a rather frazzled Krystal retied her ocean-blue hair.

"We're just fine, Peppy...Although I'd like to have a word with the local architect."

"Is the Arwing okay?"

"Yeah, it's–"

Fox could only stare as a colossal monument made of dark stone reached above the starry skyline. Hundreds of flights of stairs led up to dark doorways, and ebony bells hung drearily inside foreboding cathedral towers.

Back on the Great Fox, the team gaped as the sinister castle loomed onto the screen.

"Wow." Falco said quietly, the only one able to speak.

"This thing is huge!" Fox exclaimed as he flew around the towering behemoth.

"This," Krystal deduced. "Must be the capital building of the city."

"Then it's there we'll find our answers. Guys, I'm going to land, and gain entry."

"Careful, Fox. I have a bad feeling about this." Peppy frowned.

"You have a bad feeling when your shirts are inside-out." Falco retorted. "Go on, Fox. We're rooting for you!"

As the Arwing landed on the roof of the building, dust scattered invisibly in the dark. The cockpit opened, and Fox and Krystal leapt out. They both drew their blasters, Fox flicked on his pocket flashlight, and they headed for the nearest doorway.

Making their way through the dark corridor, the pocket light shot forth into the blackness, dimly illuminating the wall and revealing a series of arcane symbols that surrounded several murals. Each of the murals depicted scenes of violence and pure brutality; people were severing the heads of enemies, and bodies were thrown to burning pyres. In the center of each mural was vaguely humanoid figure, its arms grasping at every living thing. Each of the murals were very realistic, and looked as though they would come alive at any second.

"Fox," Krystal gripped Fox's arm tightly. "Im scared..."

Fox didn't reply. His face was grim as they continued their journey.

The hallway ended into a large circular room. There was no roof to the room...or so it seemed. All Fox and Krystal could see was a shaft leading up into nothingness. Fox was the first to see the red glyph glowing on the side of the wall– which he could swear wasn't glowing when they first entered the room. He stared at it for what seemed to Krystal as an eternity. Then, slowly, with his eyes closed, he extended a finger and touched it. Suddenly, the floor rumbled and began to lift. As standard procedure, The two hit opposite sides of the wall and remained flat against it as the elevator lifted them ever higher, emanating an odd, echoing hum.

On the Great Fox, Peppy impatiently paced the bridge, while Slippy spun around in his chair. Falco stood by the window, staring at the spherical blot in space. They had lost contact with the away party as soon as they had entered the ruins, but they were confident in Fox's abilities to get through safely. Even so, Slippy was starting to get worried.

"I'm going to try to contact them again." He said, slipping on the headset and pressing on the panels. Still radio silence. He resumed spinning around in the chair.

"Will you stop that?" Falco growled, whipping his head around and leering at Slippy.

"Why don't you make me?" Slippy snapped back, still spinning.

"Don't tempt me!"

"Too late. What'cha going to do about it?"

"Plenty!"

"Enough, you two!" Peppy stopped pacing to point threateningly at them. "We have men on the surface, so we still have a job to do– and that job doesn't including ripping each other apart!"

The glared at each other, then returned to their respective corners. Peppy turned towards the chair which Fox usually sat in and was so fond of. It was in this seat that Fox first felt the burden of command, and felt the rush of victory. It was also the seat that James McCloud, Fox's father took when he was the leader of Starfox. James was a good friend of Peppy's, and it hurt him everyday to know that he was gone. It would hurt him even more if Fox were to disappear, too– more than Slippy and Falco would ever know.

"Hurry, Fox." he whispered. For the first time in his life, he didn't have a bad feeling. He had a horrible one.

The lift finally stopped, and Fox and Krystal stepped out. Peering through the doorway, they could deduce that the next room was donut-shaped, with a large column lined with doors in the middle. As they exited the lift, it closed with a thunderous clamor and descended. After regaining their nerves, they circled around the outside of the room, assessing the situation. Near one of the doors. Fox found another red glyph and pressed his hand against it without hesitation.

With a deafening grinding sound, sections of the walls slid back, allowing entrance into the center of the room.

Inside the room was a wondrous site: A raw, crimson colored gemstone the size of three or four medium-size houses. The center of the gem seemed to capture the darkness around it, absorb it, then release it ten-fold.

Suddenly, Krystal grabbed her ears, pain wracking her mind.

"Fox!" She managed to cry as she fell to her knees. Fox rushed over to her just in time to catch her as she slumped to the floor, barely conscious.

"Fox...what's happening to me?"

"I don't know," Fox looked into her eyes hoping she would know, but her eyes were slowly being drained of life."I don't know!"

Fox whipped his head around, frantically looking for the source of the ailment. Then, his eyes narrowed as he focused on the gemstone. That was it...that had to be it.

"Hang on...I'll save you." Fox said quietly as he jumped to his feet and bull-rushed the crystal.

Gaining momentum, Fox leapt on top of the crystal, brandishing a knife. He turned the knife downward, found what he thought was a weak point, and reared back to strike.

Krystal's mind suddenly flared as an image of a grotesque shadow appeared before her in the crystal. Bearing teeth of pure flame, it smiled as it looked up at fox.

"Fox, NO!" Krystal shouted, but it was too late. As Fox struck the gem, he screamed as a deep red aura surrounded him. The dark shadow swirled within, faster and faster until finally the crystal shattered, sending jagged shards of the cursed gem hurtling everywhere. Krystal dropped to the ground barely avoiding a volley of the shards. As she looked up, she saw a dark man that looked a lot like Fox, but was covered in solid black fur.

"F-fox...is that you?" Krystal stuttered.

Before she could react, the man reached his strong fingers around her neck and squeezed tightly. He then commenced to lift her into the air as she gasped and whimpered.

"Yes, Krystal, it's me." The voice was Fox's, but someone else's as well; the voices spoke in unison, one kind and the other quite malicious. "Everything's going to be alright...just relax, and let the darkness take you."

The last thing Krystal remembered was looking into the man's glaring yellow eyes. All traces of the carefree and courageous Lylatian she had fallen in love with were gone, replaced by an incarnation of the purest evil. And she couldn't stop it, she thought, the lack of oxygen taking it's toll as she blacked out. She couldn't do anything.

Peppy stared out the window of the bridge, focusing on nothing in particular but keeping a sharp eye on everything. Therefore, he was the first to see a lone light shining from the planet.

"Slippy! Falco! Look!"

The three stared on in silent wonder as the single light grew larger and larger, eventually accompanied by other lights from all over the planet. Looking intently into the light, the three gasped. It was an armada; thousands of identical black ships adorned with crimson runes rested within what was quite possibly a docking bay. Peppy and the others watched as, one by one, runes on the ships glowed, and the ships themselves lifted upwards and floated towards space.

Two words instantly sprang into Peppy's head.

"BATTLE STATIONS!"

Slippy ran over to his station, booted up the sensors and ship data, and began analysis of the alien vessels. Falco flipped over a handrail in the center of the bridge, landing safely behind the ship control console and punching in standard battle maneuvers. Peppy took the captain's seat, flipping open a small compartment on the armrest, revealing a weapons array panel. By the time they had reached their positions the alien ships had engaged their propulsion systems and made a beeline towards the Great Fox.

"Peppy, aim for the innermost part of their wings." Slippy reported, his fingers gliding, over the panel's commands. "The armor's the weakest there."

Falco pressed a few commands himself, then turned to their acting captain. "Peppy, I'm tilting the ship on a 35-degree angle. That should give you optimal targeting range."

Peppy gripped his seat as the ship began to tilt. Meanwhile, the enemy craft had reached firing range, and were volleying the great vessel with spiraling red beams. A slew of the beams grazed the ship, giving the heroic trio a jolt.

"Hull integrity down 15! Those beams pack a wallop! I'll try to compensate." Slippy cried frantically. Slowly the Great fox continued to tilt, more and more of the large laser cannons on the front of the ship aligning with their prospective targets. Peppy's finger hovered over the 'fire' command.

"Optimal firing in 3...2...1...Now! Whale on 'em!"

Peppy slammed his finger into the panel. The cannons drew energy for a second, their massive barrels emanating a green glow before unleashing a chain of enormous energy rays. The rays hit a majority of the enemy ships head on, either disintegrating them or ripping them apart. The remnants of the attack force turned tail and headed back toward the black planet. The trio whooped in victory.

"Yeah! We showed them!"

"No alien scum's gonna get the best of us!"

"Just goes to show you we don't need Fox every time a problem arises!"

The celebration was ended abruptly as the crew catches sight of a new threat: Sections of the planet folded away as a gigantic cylindrical device protruded from the planet core. The cylinder split apart and commenced drawing a massive amount of energy. A few of the alien vessels that wandered to close to the charging device were sucked in and set ablaze. Joy instantaneously turned to fear. Once again each crew member scrambled to his post. Falco attempted to move the ship out of the weapon's trajectory. Slippy started a deep analytical scan of the weapon, hoping to find a weakness. Peppy hopped into the chair again and started blasting away at the cannon with every part of the Great Fox's arsenal. Their frenzy was in vain, however, as the weapon finally finished its charging, the energy slowly floating into the back of the cannon just before a beam easily as large as the Great Fox launched, streaking through the eternal night of space until it hit its mark: The top-left wing of the great spaceship.

The beam seared through part of the ship's inner hull, completely tearing off the wing and crippling the back fin as well. The impact from the blast violently forced the ship away from the planetary weapon, the lack of gravity allowing the ship to do turns and barrel rolls as it now floats through the depths of space.

As the vessel rolled and tossed, so did Peppy and his crew. Finally, after a few minutes of becoming painfully acquainted with the walls, ceiling, and floor, Falco finally managed to grab onto the control panel and tried to set the ship aright again. Fortunately, the back-up systems were not damaged, so Falco set all stabilizers on max, an the craft slowly righted itself. Slippy took one look at the damage report and flew into a sobbing fit.

"Main engines...offline. Weapons array...offline. Secondary engines and life support...barely. The way things look right now, we can't take another blast like that!"

"There won't be another blast." Falco and Slippy both looked a Peppy, who was gazing out of the window again. "The planet's gone."

Indeed, while they had been trying to regain control of the situation, the planet had disappeared. All that could be seen now was stars.

"But...if the planet's gone...what about Fox? And Krystal?"

The three stood in shock, unable to cope with the inevitable truth that their friends were gone. They were too worked up to even cry...they just looked at each other, with no idea of what to say.

Suddenly, A blip from the monitor caught all of their attentions. Slippy rushed to the panel, and shouted with glee,

"It's Krystal! She's in the Arwing...but it's adrift!"

Falco didn't wait for Peppy's next order. He was already scrambling to the hangar. He initialized the engines, and shot through the bay doors. A few minutes later he returned, towing the disable Arwing behind him. Both Peppy and Falco pried the cockpit open, and barely caught Krystal as she slipped from her seat.

Falco checked her life signs. "She's alive...barely. Her pulse is regular, but slow. It's as though she's in some sort of coma."

"If she's knocked out, how are we supposed to find out what happened to Fox?"

Falco looked at the worried Slippy and frowned. "We don't."

Peppy thought again of the captain's chair. No one could fill that chair...not now. He couldn't lead Star Fox on his own– he just didn't have the energy or instinct. A lone tear fell down his cheek as he looked at his fellow shipmates seeing to the unconscious blue fox.

The ship felt emptier already.


	2. Year of the Fox: Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Sacrifice

The defensive formation had been established. Big battleships in front, with sleeker, more maneuverable fighters zig-zagging between them. It was experimental, but showed promise. Any glimmer of hope that was available now was a great comfort– expect for Huck.

In a galaxy that clung to optimism and hope, Huck O'Beryl was the pessimistic needle that constantly pricked its groping fingers. He knew truth, and he knew crap... most of the time they seemed one in the same. Overly critical and a touch shrewd, he was disliked by many. It was his attitude, however, that had brought him this far. He had kept his cool and anticipated the worst outcome when others had lost their foolish hope or pride. He had quickly rose the ranks to captain– a title he would love to jettison into space.

"Alright toddlers, listen up!" A gruff voice blared over the sub-space radio. "The general says that this is the last line of defense against the Lethargy. We make our stand in Sector Y, using this exact flight pattern. Once we enter Y-space, radio silence is in effect. ETA 2 minutes."

"Hey captain," an irritating squeak came over the comm. "What do you think the fleet's chances for survival are?"

"You don't want to know." Huck bluntly stated in his low, rumbling voice.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Stop bothering the captain." Another voice rang through, this once husky and deep. "If he doesn't tell you something, it's for your own good."

A few moments of silence, and the husky voice came on again.

"Sir, is it true that the Lethargy is the race that defeated the legendary Star Fox team five years ago?"

"It is." Huck again said flatly.

"Is that how they lost their leader, Fox McCloud?."

"Affirmative."

"Why, sir, did they disappear? We could– "

"You will not follow this line of conversation any further." Huck commanded. This time however, there was a slight break in his voice. "Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir. Sorry sir."

The private had struck upon a bad memory; the memory that had made Huck stop being a mechanic and join the armed forces three years ago. A memory of Fox and he as childhood friends. He remembered clearly the day that Peppy Hare had told Fox about his father's death at the hands of a teammate. Fox was staying the night at his place, and it had taken Peppy twelve hours to track him down. He remembered how he had chased Fox through the lightning-filled night, how Fox cried and screamed at the sky, and how he had sworn to avenge his father and make sure no one else suffered the way he had...

"Radio silence now in effect. Stay off the phone, kids."

Huck stared silently at the Y-shaped nebula sitting in the starry sky. He attempted to clear his mind of Fox and the incident. If he was going to be anything like Fox, he had to focus on his mission. He had to make it his sole purpose in life to fight the Lethargy.

A blip on his radar caught his attention. Then another. Then twelve more. Soon, his entire radar screen was alight with green blips. He looked up, and saw the massive blot in space, as well as the hundreds of fighters, the light of the nearby nebula glinting off their metal carapaces. It seemed the Lethargy had arrived. The fleet stopped, but the Lethargy floated closer. This legion of terror had obliterated planet after planet, ship after ship. The estimated number of people missing thanks to the invasion was massive. Each day that passed, a new ship carrying hundreds of survivors docked at the last haven in the Lylat system– Corneria. The line had to be drawn.

Huck watched quietly as the black planet slowly opened up, and hundreds more ships exited. A red panel flashed on his monitor– radio silence was official broken.

"For Corneria...attack!"

The fleet fired in perfect unison, taking out at least 30 ships before the Lethargy retaliated. The fleet broke formation, splitting into smaller units comprised of one battle cruiser and two or three fighters. The cruisers fired their burst cannons, lighting up large clusters of the ships. The lethargy, in return, swarmed around the large vessels, hellbent on their destruction. Soon, the first of the cruisers was destroyed, but not before exploding and destroying more ships. Out of the explosion flew more Lylatian ships, blasting away at the assailants.

Huck chose his targets with great precision, taking each out in a single shot. He noticed two or three tailing him, and clicked his tongue. Then, in a maneuver that Fox would have envied, Huck hit the anti-gravity brakes as he pulled back on the stick. The ship flipped upside down, its lasers aimed straight at the enemy ships. Huck fired, and eliminated then before righting the ship in one swift motion. An allied ship whizzed by, and Huck targeted the ships trailing behind it. With one shot, he disabled them. As he approached, however, the ships self-destructed and knocked Huck away from the skirmishing. He tried desperately to realign the ship, knowing good and well he was a sitting duck without the ability to stop the spin-out.

Meanwhile, the battle was quickly turning against the Lylatian fleet. The enemy had adapted to their tactics, destroying the cruisers then firing blindly into the resulting explosion. Pilot after pilot was shot apart. It was getting much worse, however. On the outskirts of the battle, the core of the black planet opened, and the barrel of the massive planetary cannon extended and crackled with energy.

Suddenly, the Lethargy ships fell back, much to the surprise of the fleet. Huck had just stabilized when he saw the barrel extend. He immediately hit the comm.

"Fall back! It's getting ready to fire!"

The fleet immediately turned tail, but Huck realized they couldn't make it in time. Statistically, there was one last chance– direct interference with the cannon.

Huck knew the risks, but he also knew the alternative. He hit boosters, and streaked towards the planet. He flipped of his comm-link when the others tried to stop him. The first wave of Lethargy tried to finish him, but he tilted and slid through. The second wave was denser– he had to use a well placed laser burst to make an opening. By the time the third wave had reached him, the barrel of the cannon glowed brilliantly. Time was running out, and Huck understood perfectly. The blasted through the final formation, and entered the barrel. White electricity arced throughout the entrance of the massive tunnel, but Huck deftly dodge the bolts. Suddenly, he felt something hit his diffusor. He looked at his radar, and saw that two Lethargy ships were giving chase. Quarters were tight– he would have to grin and bear the fire. Huck finally passed the lightning, but barely swerved across a huge turbine. More were randomly placed through the tunnel to boost the energy discharge; if he could destroy some, he might buy himself some time. Again he flaunted his impeccable aim, taking out at least five turbines with a few shots. The turbines exploded with a bright flash, Huck closing his eyes just in time to prevent being blinded. As he exited the flash he saw one of the assailants crashing into the wall. One down, but the other had to be mad.

The next section rippled and pulsed with destructive potential. When the tunnel branched off into two parts, Huck instinctively took the left. The enemy took the right, and Huck hoped he hadn't taken the wrong path. Much to his relief, his path turned out to be much better than the alternative as the enemy vessel zoomed in front of him. With a quick volley of fire the second attacker was eliminated. Free of obstacles, Huck again hit the boosters. He only had a few seconds left, the turbines exploding buying him little time. Finally he saw a light at the end of the tunnel– he had found the core. His mission was clear as he threw everything he had at the shining crystal focusing the cannon's power source. He unleashed all of his charges and bomb in conjunction with laser fire. Each attack hit, but didn't destroy it. The crystal was severely compromised however, cracked and sizzling with white light. He had come this far– failure was not an option. He steered into a collision course with the crystal, and gave the engines all the power the tiny ship could muster.

The only thing the Lylatian fleet could see was the explosion of light that emanated from the core of the planet. The barrel was blown apart, the unchecked power of the cannon ripping enormous chunks of plating from the planet. Lethargy ships in the face of the blast were instantly disintegrated. The Lethargy had been dealt a mighty blow, and were forced to retreat. No one cheered, however. The victory had cost the life of a loyal and courageous soldier, completely dedicated to the well-being of the galaxy. In honor of Huck, Captain of First Rank in the Cornerian Space Forces, the battle was considered by all present that day to be a draw. He would not be forgotten...


	3. Year of the Fox: Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Memories Unchained

The white-furred wolf gasped, sucking in as much air as his lungs could hold. His lungs, not used to the amount of air, retorted with a stinging pain in his chest. The wolf didn't care. After all, it was his first real breath in...how long?

"Good morning, K." A sultry but synthesized voice verbalized from everywhere in the cramped stasis pod that he had was laying in. "How do you feel?"

"The same as when I feel asleep...except for a dry mouth." K replied sullenly.

"Pressurization procedure is complete. You are free to leave the pod."

K tried to lift his arms, but the soreness was a major discouragement. He tried again, and was successful in lifting the large metal lid. He sat up, stretching out the soreness. He then stood, and took a look around. The ship was still as pristine as he had left it.

"You've done a good job keeping the ship clean, Liola."

"Thanks you." She replied flatly. "K, we are about to enter the Lylat system."

"The Lylat system?" K rubbed his neck. "What are we doing here?"

"My scans identified a disabled Lylatian vessel. Designation: Great Fox."

"Any lifesigns?" K strolled over to the large leather command chair, and seated himself. The smooth leather was a comfort to him– a familiar sensation amidst a sea of confusion.

"One Lylatian...and one carrying traits of the Hate."

K froze, eyes wide with disbelief. The Hate...so it had come this far. Everything was starting to make more sense.

"Liola...is this why you awakened me?"

"Yes K. The proof is undeniable...the Lylat system has been touched by the Hate."

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Two hundred, thirty eight years."

K's eyes narrowed. Over two hundred years since his last encounter with the Hate. Thanks to them, it had been two hundred years worth of nightmares. Nightmares that he had to bear, unable to awaken from them. Two hundred years without...her...

He shook off the painful thoughts. Now was not a time to mourn for what he had lost. He. chose to go into stasis– to wait until his chance to exact revenge against the Hate. This time, it was his turn to attack.

"Full speed ahead." He commanded the computer. "I'd like to see this ship for myself."

K's vessel was sleek and powerful, shaped much like an elongated eagle's beak Along the back of the ship ran a series of fins which serrated into even more fins. The engines were covered by sharp triangular flaps. Therefore, the ship know as the Great Fox was a big disappointment to K. He had envisioned a ship even sleeker and more impressive than his own, possibly toting powerful technological advancements in weapons and speed. Instead, he found a vessel that resembled a pregnant albatross.

"Liola, use the gravity beam to push apart the bay doors."

"Affirmative, K."

A gray pulsing light shone from the underbelly of K's ship, pushing the bay doors up and apart. The ship then entered the open doors, four white pulses of energy slowly lowering the craft down to the hangar floor. A panel on the ship slid back, and K leapt down. The hangar was dark and cold, and K shivered. He hadn't thought of keeping any clothes to wear after he had awakened. He noticed a uniform lying on the ground, and took the pants from it. They were a decent fit. K walked cautiously to the nearby door, and examined the access panel. The power was still flowing to it, but the design was foreign to him. That wouldn't stop K, though. Closing his eyes. He clapped his hands together, then slowly pulled them apart, his brow furrowed in deep concentration. The door, in response, slowly forced itself open. K slipped through, and examined the corridor.

On the left wall, two chambers held two sets of bunk beds. K noticed that only one had ruffled sheets, while the rest were neatly pressed. On the right was a door labeled "Infirmary."

K neared the door and used the same tactic to open it as he had the last one. He stepped in, and the door closed. He could taste the taint of the Hate in the air– it was right in front of him.

It was then that he saw her. A slender, blue fox in a cylindrical chamber not unlike the one he had awoken from. Her arms were draped gently over her supple frame, her legs laying limp. Her face, however, showed great pain and fear, her lips trembling as tears fell from her eyes. K took a step forward, but suddenly covered his head. There was a bright flash, and a swirl of colors. When K opened his eyes, there was nothing he could say. The infirmary was the same, but the blue fox was gone, replaced by a beautiful golden vixen with long flowing hair. K approached the chamber, and her head turned to him. She opened her eyes, and K fell to his knees. He had expected bright blue eyes, but the eyes that met his gaze were totally black. The woman smiled at him, but when she opened her mouth to speak she screamed, blasphemies and pleas filling the room. K tried to cover his ears, but one voice broke through his mental defenses.

_Murderer! You've killed us all! Murderer!_

K reached out to touch the glass, and the woman lifted her hand to meet his.

"Hold it right there!"

When K snapped back to reality, he was standing over the chamber holding the blue vulpine. On the glass were drops of water– his tears.

"Who are you? What are you doing to Krystal?"

Krystal: So that was her name. Such a pleasant looking girl, hurt by the taint of the Hate. The speaker must be her bodyguard.

"I said, who are you?"

K turned to a rabbit holding a blaster straight at his face. He was old, wrinkles showing his age and experience. His uniform was torn in some areas, but he still wore it proudly.

"You must be the Lylatian." K's voice trembled as he wiped the tears from his eyes. He cleared his voice and continued. "My name is K. You must be the pilot of this ship."

"That's right. Peppy O'Hare, commander of the Starfox team."

"Team?" K raised an eyebrow. "My scans showed only you and the girl."

"We've...disbanded." Peppy sighed, his pistol still aimed at K.

"I see...Peppy, I know I've invaded your sanctum. I am trespasser and a stranger in your realm. To you, I could very well have been planning to tamper with her stasis pod. Even so, I'm not your enemy."

"Prove it." Peppy replied.

K looked back at the girl. "How long has she been unconscious?"

"She doesn't have anything to do with this."

"She might, if my hunch is correct." K sighed, understanding Peppy's frustration all to well. "Listen, all I want is information. If I'm wrong, I leave. It's that simple."

After some thought, Peppy lowered the pistol.

"She fell into that coma five years ago. We were on a reconnaissance mission to learn more about a black planet that blotted out the night sky. We– "

"–You sent someone to the surface. They discovered a huge cathedral with crimson runes and ebony chapels. You lost contact when they went in. A few minutes later, the planet opened, and an armada flew out. You fought the first wave off, but then the planet hit you with a laser cannon. Am I right?"

"How'd you know that?" Peppy set his sights on K again.

"An educated guess, flavored with a hint of experience. How did she get back onto this ship?"

"We found her drifting in one of our ships...our leader's ship..." Peppy hung his head in sorrowful remembrance.

"Your leader didn't return?"

"No...we never found him."

"That answers some of my questions..."

"What?" Peppy raised his head, shooting a confused look at K.

"Please, don't ask how I know this...you wouldn't like the answer...but your leader is alive. However–"

"He's alive!" Peppy shouted the question more than he asked it.

"_However_...he has been possessed by the Hate, an ancient evil that has existed for at least a millennia. Don't ask me how I know about the Hate– you wouldn't like the answer to that either." K raised a hand as Peppy prepared to ask a slew of questions. Eventually, Peppy settled with the most vital question:

"You said there was hope. What did you mean?"

"While the Hate is a parasitic being, it is also a very intelligent one. Weak-minded creatures merely touched by it are instantly and completely under its control. Individuals with stronger wills have a slight chance of fighting against it." K stood pondering, outlining Krystal in his mind. "Your leader...did he love her."

"Yes, very much."

"Love is a very powerful bond...a bond not very easily broken by the Hate. It may have given him the last boost of willpower to give her a chance to escape."

"If she escaped, then why is she unconscious?"

"I'm not sure, but I do know one thing– if the Hate is somehow defeated, its hold on her will be broken. She will be herself again."

"Really? Then we should–" Suddenly, the Great Fox rocked back and forth, Peppy and K desperately trying to keep balance.

"K," Liola's voice blared over the ship's comm system. "I've patched into the Great Fox's comm-link."

"What wrong's, Liola?"

"K, I'm picking up several Hate signatures...they are invading the Great Fox."

"What could they want?" Peppy brought his pistol to bear at the door.

"They're after the girl." K replied. His worst fears had been realized

"Then we have to stop them!" Peppy rushed towards the door, but K grabbed his shoulder.

"No, Peppy. Stay here."

"But–"

"Have you ever seen someone tainted by the Hate?"

"No, but–"

"Then you can't possibly fight them effectively." K patted the hare's shoulder. "I know you want to protect her. Believe me or not, I do too. You have to trust that I want what's best for her, and for us."

"I do...I'm not sure why, but I do." Peppy said, exasperated. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Guard her with your life." K answered as he ran into the corridor.

As soon as he entered the hallway, he saw them. Various shadowy humanoid forms marched towards him, their rust red armor clanging as they approached. One of them raised a rifle and fired, but K sidestepped just in time. In retaliation, K thrust his hand forward, and the first row of the Hate flew backwards. This bought enough time for K to rush them, his right arm reared back to strike. What happened next was a blur of fists, feet and telepathic force. Peppy peeked out from the doorway, but quickly ducked back in as a body flew through the air past him. Peeking out again, he saw the whirlwind of righteous fury that just a few moments ago had been a diligent and reliable young fox. What kind of secrets could turn such a bright young man into a veritable death god, every strike brutally ripping through both armor and flesh? It was then that Peppy's thoughts were confirmed– K was not an average soldier.

After K had disposed of the troops, he raced to the next hallway. More troops came his way, and he took them out with the same deadly efficiency. Another soldier ran out of a doorway, swinging a twisted red sword at K. The white lupine dodged, sweeping low with a kick, knocking the soldier flat. He then ran through the mess hall and the living quarters before reaching an elevator. Upon entering the elevator, two more warriors feel through the ceiling. One swung with his mace, another with chains. K ducked, then grabbed the chains. He yanked, bringing the one soldier into the blunt of the mace. He then took out the second fighter with a well placed uppercut.

While K was cleansing the ship of the taint, Peppy ran into the mess hall and pried open a wall panel, revealing a secret crawl space. Suddenly, he heard something behind. Quickly, he sprang out of the way of a Hate soldier wielding a large axe. Peppy pulled his pistol and fired, and was amazed as the laser whizzed clean through the creature without injuring it at all. The soldier swung wide, knocking a few tables aside but completely missing Peppy. ------ The body slumped to the floor and- much to Peppy's amazement- slowly melted into shadowy wisps, leaving just the armor. Not wasting time in order to further investigate the phenomenon, Peppy entered the crawl space, and headed to the control room.

K exited the elevator, evading a charging pikeman before delivering a devastating gut-punch. The bridge was just ahead, but before K could take another step a monstrous form crashed through the plating of the wall, clawing at him. K rolled out of the way, deftly landing on his feet. He wasn't prepared for such a show of force– it seemed the Hate had a few new weapons at their disposal since his last encounter with them. The monster slammed his fist into the floor, the impact of the blow knocking K away. He skidded across the floor, slamming into a console. As K shook his head, the terror stomped towards him, shaking the floor under them. The hulk raised it's arms, and swung down hard– but not hard enough to break through K's force shield. K couldn't keep the shield up for long, though. The force exerted by the monstrosity was intense, and it was slowly cracking through his defenses. K searched his mind, digging into his subconscious in order to find the strength to keep the barrier up.

Just before the barrier shattered, the beast stumbled forward, breaking the deadlock. Between the legs of the monster, K saw Peppy standing in front of the elevator, carrying a shoulder mounted electron launcher.

"Picked it up on the way past the armory. Thought it might help."

The monster turned, and K sprang into action. Flipping to his feet, K jumped onto the beast. Focusing his mental powers into his hand, K leaned back, then slammed his empowered fist into the back of the terror's head. The creature exploded into a cloud of shadow, and dissipated into nothingness.

"Glad you could make it." K grinned at Peppy. "Thanks."

"No thanks necessary." Peppy grinned back. "Say...what are those things?"

"They are what's left of a person that dies at the hands of the Hate. Their soul is trapped, and infused with the Hate's own malice. I call them Darklings."

"A lot of them had swords and spears, but others had rifles."

"A Darkling uses the weapon it had before it's death. If some of the soldiers

"I used my telekinetic powers to make a field of mental force around me. I swing, and the field does the damage."

"That's another thing I've been meaning to ask you–" Peppy started.

"And that is a story for another time." K replied.

Peppy shrugged in acceptance, then hurried over to the comm.

"What are you doing?" K inquired.

"Calling in back-up." Peppy answered, newfound vigor in his voice. "Once the guys hear Fox is still alive, they'll gladly help us."


End file.
